


Pride And Prejudice

by Devilinureye



Category: Justice League Dark: Apokolips War (2020), Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (2017)
Genre: DamiRae - Freeform, Damian Wayne is madly in love with Raven, Demonbirds - Freeform, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, No Smut, THIS SHIT IS MY JAM
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:21:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26891338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devilinureye/pseuds/Devilinureye
Summary: Raven is a dreamy and romantic young woman who just moved to an apartment with her college friends in a part of the dark city of Gotham.As one of the oldest, she faces increasing pressure from her friends for her small bookshop to be successful as well as her love life. When Raven is introduced to the handsome and wealthy Damian Wayne at a party, sparks fly. Although there is an obvious chemistry between the two, Damian's overly reserved nature threatens their relationship.
Relationships: Raven & Donna Troy, Raven/Damian Wayne
Comments: 24
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is inspired by Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (more basically in the 2005 film), enjoy <3

This was one of those ordinary mornings in Gotham City, the gray city.

The sun was rising weak among the heavy clouds that didn’t always mean torrential rain coming. The morning fog dissipated dew around the city and the people started to wake up for another day.

Gotham wasn’t like other cities, it wasn’t light and full of life. Its beauty came from the gray buildings and the stone gargoyles on top of its skyscrapers. Gotham's beauty was more than just tourist spots like in Metropolis or Star City or New York... Gotham had an air of mystery that came from the beginning of it’s time, with the founders who now guarded the city gates.  
Stories as mysterious as the tales heard about secret societies, owls and bats in other times. Times so distant that they became more legends as intertwined with that city as the bricks that built it, as mythical as its gothic and domed architecture.

And of all things, that was what Raven Roth loved most. That was what had drawn her to this place from the beginning. That was what had made her choose that city as her home after graduating from college: the mystery that Gotham could represent, like a great book she was eager to read.

Like the book that was almost never out of her hands.

Her eyes were now locked on yet another book, while her feet knew which way to go. She didn't need to look, she knew every curve like the lines in her hand as pale as the first blizzard. Her amethyst eyes glued to a copy of Pride & Prejudice that she had not been able to leave since the time she woke up. It wasn't the first time that she had become involved in Darcy and Elizabeth's romance. The yellowed pages of the book already said that it must be the thousandth time she read that book, but the fire she had in her eyes while reading it was as if she was getting carried away for the first time.

She walked almost without taking her eyes off the book, holding a paper bag in one arm and the book in the other hand, averting her amethyst eyes from the yellowed leaves only when she heard a horn or reached a street that forced her to look at the traffic. She could buy her breakfast at the bakery near the small bookstore she took care of, but she liked having her blueberry muffin coming from the same bakery that was below her apartment. So every day Raven did the same walk with her paper bag through the city streets with eyes fixed on shabby books or the gargoyles above her.

Raven opened the bookstore door listening to the loud sound of the small bell above the entrance, causing her violet eyes to finally deviate from the paper and find the stacks of books she still needed to catalog and put on the shelves. However, her attention was completely taken by whispers and laughter from the back door, where her friends were crowded near a crack in the door.

Raven shared not only her life but also an apartment and bookstore with her 5 college friends. They were more of a family than just roommates for her, despite their completely different personalities.

 _ **Kory Anders**_ was the oldest among them. With green eyes, golden skin like the sun and hair as red as the blood that pumped in her veins, she had the mother's heart that Raven often thanked for having around. She was always responsible for keeping the ideas of the other 5 girls from colliding and creating a nuclear bomb. Kory was the mother they didn't even know they needed.

 _ **Donna Troy**_ was the person Raven could most relate to and trust. Raven thought of her as more than just a best friend, she believed that their souls were twin sisters and that their bond came from other lives and other eras. Donna was so beautiful that sometimes it was painful just to look at her, as if she was a Greek heroine blessed by the goddess Aphrodite. Raven wasn’t ashamed to say that among all of them, Donna was the most beautiful.

It was almost frustrating to go out with Donna Troy for the happy hour of friends.

 _ **Rose Wilson**_ was the opposite side of Kory. She was almost Raven's age, silver hair like the moon and blue eyes like the clear sky, she was in more trouble than Raven could count and had the responsibility of a teenager. It was in one of these situations that she ended up losing her right eye. She had a tongue that was sharper than a razor and the acidity of her comments was capable of melting the hardest of metals. She had a good heart and was ready to defend her friends in any situation, but her irresponsibility would still cost something that Raven didn't want to imagine.

 _ **Imra Ardeen**_ was... different, but special. Raven was sure that Imra was the personification of the sun and anyone who looked at her would miss their sunny vacation days. Her hair was blond as a sunny day in San Francisco, her eyes as blue as the color of the sea that bathed the scorching sands of Malibu Beach, and her pink cheeks were painted with little freckles that reminded Raven of a starry sky.

Features that Raven hadn't seen in a person since moving to Gotham.

Imra had a cheerfulness that was contagious even if she was very shy most of the time. Despite being too dreamy in Raven's opinion (and a little too naive for a 23-year-old girl), she appreciated Imra's presence for tea time or when Raven just wanted the silence to read her books in peace in her favorite corner among the flowers of her home.

Imra was an outsider in college and spent her time as alone as Raven until one day, they just decided to be alone together. But eventually they would not be so alone anymore when Donna, Tara, Kory and Rose joined the group.

With the temperament of Rose and Tara, Imra gradually became a shadow of the two, as if she could not live her own spotlight. Even if her energy radiated this, even Tara benefited from her shyness.

But Raven was willing to help her if she wanted her to... She just needed to find the perfect time for that.

 _ **Tara Markov**_ was the youngest of them all and what she had of beauty, she had proportionally of poison in her tongue. She had yellow hair like the sand and cheeks scattered freckles . Her personality was sarcastic and bitter like a snake and she always had something to say that was almost never something sweet. Raven knew that it was a defense mechanism for a girl who had suffered more than anyone could endure, but she had learned the hard way to just leave. Tara was difficult to live with and even harder to try to change.

And then there was _**Raven Roth**_. She had eyes the color of amethyst thanks to a genetic mutation and skin as pale as the moon, with hair as dark as starless night. Of all her noisy, beautiful, complex and enlightened friends, Raven felt like a black sheep. She was the most reserved of all 6, almost always with her face turned to books. She had been orphaned at a young age, when she was no more than 8 years old, and has lived with her aunt in Gotham ever since.

She didn't wear hearts on her sleeves like Donna and Kory, nor did she exhale light like Imra. She didn't have an adventure list or guys in her bed like Rose or Tara, but she hoped one day she could love someone as intensely as the characters in the books she loved. The ones she would get lost in for hours and hours and dream of a love of her own when she was immersed in that enchanted universe of balls and waltzes and gallant gentlemen.

\- “Hey, Kory, did you hear the news?” - The male voice pulled Raven out of her own thoughts and she finally saw the scene unfolding in front of her. Imra and Rose were leaning in the doorway, listening to the conversation with their hands over their mouths muffling their laughter.

\- “I didn't read the gossip newspaper, Roy.”

\- “Don't you want to know? I heard a rumor that a certain very wealthy family is back.” There was a smile in Roy's voice, their relationship was something that Raven didn't try to understand... And she didn't want to either.

\- “You will tell me anyway.”

\- “Well…” - He started to say. Raven rolled her eyes, not wanting to know the latest news from the world of the city's millionaires, she already had a lot to worry about, until she noticed her friends stifling louder laughter.

\- “Imra! Rose!” - Raven hissed between her teeth, walking over to the girls, Tara just looked up quickly and went back to her old business, too involved in accounting. - “What did we talk about listening behind the door?”

\- “It doesn't matter, Rae! I want to know who Harper is talking about!”

\- “Some guy called Kent…”

\- “And friend of the Wayne millionaires…”

\- “He's editor in chief of the Daily Planet!”

\- “Really?” - Raven bit her lower lip, pushing down the sudden curiosity that ran in her stomach. She wasn’t the type to get into the hot gossip of the millionaire’s world, but she was always trying to keep up with who was arriving in town.

And an editor-in-chief at the Daily Planet in Gotham was news that she might be interested in.

\- “And he's single.” - Rose said smiling.

\- “He is single?” - Tara's voice sounded, looking attentive at the back of the room, finally getting up and walking over to where Raven, Imra and Rose were, and being followed by Donna whose eyebrows were almost forming one trying to understand the scene.

\- “Who?” - Donna asked, looking at Raven for answers.

\- “A guy named Kent, apparently.” - Raven shrugged - “Stop, Rose!”

\- “And why would that be of interest to me, Roy?” - Kory voiced from inside the room, rolling her green eyes in her sockets as she rested her arms around her waist.

\- “Oh, Kory, don't pretend indifference... I know how you look when Dick is in town and I want to know if it's okay with you now. You had an intense relationship and I understand that.”

\- “It's over, Roy. What's between me and Dick now is just a mutual friendship, you know that.” - Kory huffed as she walked to the door and opened it wide, meeting the 5 girls there, eyes hungry for something new. - “Girls! For God's sake, don't listen to my conversations behind the door... It's rude.” - Kory warned them like a mother who caught them doing mischief, while walking with some books in her hands towards the shelves, being followed by the 5 girls and Roy Harper. 

\- “I warned you.” - Raven whispered to the younger girls through her teeth.

\- “I'm fine Roy. Dick is married to Barbara Gordon now, my relationship with him is a long-turned page and you shouldn't have to worry about that.”

\- “But you know, he is…”

\- “Your friend, I know. And I don't care about that, I don't want you to leave your friends because of me.” - Kory held Roy's face with her fingertips before giving a kiss and turning her back to him again, focusing on the book shelves - “That's why you should go and visit them.”

\- “Are you listening to your girl, Mr. Harper? You should visit your friends and bring back the gossip and not just bits and pieces.” - Tara said rolling her eyes.

\- “Immediately.” - Rose demanded. 

\- "It's not necessary." - Roy shrugged, turning on his heel.

\- “Have you ever been? So why are you telling me like this is a silly rumor?”

\- “Because I wanted to know how you would react first to the news that your ex-fiancé is in town.”

\- “And did you see that Kent?” - Tara asked, looking finally interested in the conversation.

\- “Yes.” - Roy shrugged.

\- “And is he kind?”

\- “Is he handsome?”

\- “He sure is handsome, Imra!” - Rose hummed. - “Wayne men are all hot guys with butts of steel. They wouldn't have an ugly friend.”

\- "Being editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet, I wouldn't mind if he had some warts" - Raven laughed as she sat at her desk cluttered with books, taking the blueberry tart from the paper bag she had almost forgotten.

\- “Of course I would care.” - Rose grimaced making a face.

\- “I think the important thing is what the person has in his heart, Rose.” - Donna said with the usual kind smile.

\- “And inside the wallet.” - Rose completed.

\- “So, you can take the test for yourself tomorrow.” - 6 pairs of green, blue and amethyst eyes turned towards him, hungry for news. - “There will be a party tomorrow at Emiko's house, for sure Kent will be there.”

\- “Roy, you need to get us to this party.”

\- “Erm…” - Roy pretended to think for a few seconds, scratching his chin.

\- “Roy, you don't have to…” - Kory sighed.

\- “Of course he does, Kory! One of us may have the chance to finally get out of that perty with a minimally well-off guy and get out of that cubicle we call home!”

\- “Gods…” - Raven rolled his eyes - “I didn't know we were back in the 18th century.”

\- “We never left the 18th century husband hunt, Raven. Life is a jungle and you can be sure that there will be a line of other ones to try to grab this boy from the newspaper.”

\- “Well, why not? You’re friends with Kory, you can certainly go too, by the way... Kory is my girlfriend and Emiko is from my family. She won't mind if I bring some friends.” - An explosion of hysterical screams and laughter grew in the bookstore and Raven just smiled, covering her ears with her hands.

\- “We love you phosphorus head.” - Rose said with a smile, while Imra hopped for joy.

_Did she never get tired of always being happy?_

\- “Oh gods.” - Rose said suddenly, seeming to remember something that could destroy her plans.

\- “What?” - Imra said scared, waiting for the worst news.

\- “We need to buy new clothes. New lingerie. We cannot in any way meet some new millionaires boys with the things we have in the closet. I mean, I have new things, Donna certainly has beautiful dresses... But, we need to buy something new.”

\- “Gods, Rose.”

\- “What Raven?”

\- “Nothing just you being you.” - Raven shrugged - “It's just a stupid party, you certainly don't need new clothes.”

\- “Well... Whatever. I need a new dress.” - Rose looked at Raven with an amused smile on her lips - “Let's go shopping! I will not allow you to wear panties with a hole in the seam and a gym bra, and a sweatshirt from a frat house. You are my friend after all.”

\- “I didn't even say I'm going to that party, Rose.”

\- “You will. We all will.”

\- “I have work to do. These books need to be cataloged, Rose. We can't just leave everything behind because of a party. We haven't had time to make a profit on this yet.”

\- “Blablabla... That's all I'm hearing.” - She rolled her eyes. - “You won't spend the night working while everyone is going to meet the new Metropolis playboy.”

Raven looked at Donna for protection, she had no desire to go to a party of people she didn't know in Metropolis because of gossip involving the family of Kory's ex-fiance and a new playboy in the area.

She didn't know Kory's ex-fiance's family, but she knew that they were all ridiculously wealthy and stupidly reserved. And she was too busy with college to be able to spend time at crazy dances with her friends at Wayne Mansion before and I didn't have time to spend with stupid girl parties at the home of some rich little princess now too..

Donna took a deep breath and gave Raven a warm, friendly smile before raising her arms in surrender.

\- “I think it's a great idea for you to go, Rae. You never came to the Wayne balls that we were invited to and you always get bogged down in things instead of having a little fun.”

\- “You are already 23 years old, Rae. You will end up alone and single in that apartment, surrounded by plants.” - Tara said leaning against Raven's table with a malicious smile on the corners of her lips.

\- “I don't see where this is a disadvantage, Tara.”

\- “Yeah... You're the weirdest among us all, I always forget that.” 

\- “Well, thanks Tara!” - Raven rolled her eyes, not trying to let Tara's acid teasing affect her, she wouldn't give her that taste.

They seemed to lose any interest in Raven as they went back to discussing what to wear and what they should buy after Kory, with a huge smile on their face, saying that they could close the bookstore early and buy clothes for the occasion.

When they decided to buy that small bookstore after graduating from college, Raven didn’t immediately feel ready to be a small business owner and didn’t think that Rose and Imra were responsible enough for that. Donna preferred to stay with the suppliers and Tara had no tact to deal with _‘being a boss’_ so the remaining option was Kory and her maturity and motherly way. And Kory was very effective at being a _"boss mom"_ most of the time.

This also meant in relation to money and the hours they spent in that bookstore, Kory took the role of _"boss"_ within that mountain of books very seriously and Raven was fine with that. She was satisfied with the curation of the works they received without having to stress about expenses, bills, closing cash and _“controlling Rose and Tara and making Imra have a slightly stronger fist.”_

Raven shook her head while they were still talking about boys and dresses when Donna sat on the chair next to her with a thin smile on her lips and a sparkle in her eyes that Raven knew meant trouble.

A problem that ended up convincing her in the end.

\- “You're not going to let me out of this alive, am I right?” - Raven murmured without looking up from the book she evaluated.

\- “You can't be that discouraged for a little girls night, Rae.”

\- “Oh, don’t doubt my enthusiasm, Donna. I'm really excited for a girls night chasing after a boyfriend. It's exactly what I always planned for my Wednesday night.” - Raven said slightly annoyed, without looking up from the table of books she pretended to be working on. 

\- “Don't throw sarcasm at me, Raven”

\- “Well, I guess I will tell the truth dryly, I don't think that a party in the middle of a Wednesday evening is a good idea.”

\- “If I know you well, and I do…” - Donna raised an eyebrow - “Even a party on a Saturday wouldn't be a good idea for you.”

\- “Then you really know me well.” - Raven said with a shy smile on her face. 

\- “But this is definitely not the problem.” 

\- “What?”

\- “You're not saying that because of a simple Wednesday or because the girls will probably have a hangover the next day and will not come to the bookstore.” - Donna bit the inside of her cheek - “I said, I know you.”

\- “Gods, sometimes you are really annoying, Donna.”

\- “So, tell me the truth, Raven, what would be the real problem with having a little fun at a party? You know you need to have a party, you just graduated and you spent so much time just focusing on that.”

\- “I don't think this hunt for husbands that Rose and Tara play is a good idea of ‘fun’... And we are going to a party with people we don't know because of a cute boy who came back to a city we don't live in, just because they imagine that he _**MAY**_ look at one of them?”

\- “Well…” - Donna crossed her arms over her chest - “You have a point.” 

\- Yes and I'm right. You know I'm always right. I'm the only one with a whole brain cell between us all.” - Raven said holding a giggle, making Donna laugh. 

\- “Okay, that was rude. But…” - Donna said, trying to control the laughter. - “It doesn’t mean that you also need to isolate yourself from the world and not have fun even if you don't agree with Rose's crazy ideas.” - Donna leaned towards Raven - “I know you Raven, I know that you are the most romantic of us all, all day with your eyes stuck in novels. I know you don't give a damn who this kid or his friends might be or what they may have in their bank accounts. Probably any kid who tries to get your attention will have to know how to recite _**Pride & Prejudice**_ in 20 different languages, but It's just a party that occasionally has some rich boys with their noses up in the air. It's just a party and you can have a little fun and forget about all these…” - Donna made a face pointing at the stacks of books that Raven cataloged. - “spreadsheets of books that you make every day.” 

****

****

\- “I... I don't know.” - Raven sighed letting her shoulders drop - “You said, you know me well then you know I'm not the type to be comfortable in the middle of many people.” 

\- “I know but you need to have some fun and maybe meet new people. Come on, Rae.” - Donna said with a warm smile - “You can hide behind me if you want.” 

\- “Don't make promises that you can't keep.” 

\- “What are you talking about?” 

\- “Donna you know you will drag all the hearts of every boy at the party around with you the whole time.” - Raven said, smiling.- “Before even any other girl has a chance.” 

\- “Don't exaggerate, Raven.” 

>\- “I'm not.” - Raven smiled - “You know you're the most beautiful of us all, always have been since college. Plus, as Tara said, I'm the weirdest among us all, so don't promise me that I can hide behind you if you will probably win everyone's attention the moment you step into the party. I don't want to be a chandelier for you.” 

\- “You underestimate your beauty, Raven.” - Donna walked over to Raven and held her hand - “You are as beautiful... As beautiful as Venus. You have violet eyes so unique and beautiful and you are smart, kind, loving, sweet when you're not being stubborn and sarcastic and so incredible and yet, you always put yourself down.” 

\- “You heard Tara... The weirdest.” 

\- “You know she says that out of pure poison, right? She’s a snake.” - Donna said rolling her eyes and Raven laughed. 

\- “I know. The worst thing is that I know.” - The two girls laughed and Donna held Raven's hand tighter at her face, with two puppy eyes turned on her. - “You won't give up, right?” 

\- “Come on, lil Rae... Do this for me, please?” - She made her puppy face that made Raven always accept anything she asked. 

Donna was a problem for her, even though she was older than Raven by no more than 2 years. She couldn't say no to those big blue eyes that Donna had, it was like Raven's baby sister asking for candy in the store before lunch. 

_It was as if she had the power of persuasion in her eyes._

__

__

\- “Okay, I'm going to this damn party.” - Raven said, letting out her defeated breath. 

\- “Great!” - Donna smiled, her eyes showing an excitement that Raven knew all too well. 

\- “Donna why are you laughing like that?” - Raven asked knowing she wouldn't like the answer. 

\- “Well, that means one thing: shopping day with you, Rae.” - Donna said almost jumping like Imra did and Raven felt her stomach drop. She had forgotten about Donna's little old desire to turn her friend into her personal life-size doll. 

_Oh no..._


	3. Chapter 3

The beat that came from inside the hall made the walls tremble and you could hear nothing but laughter and conversation muffled by the overwhelming sounds that filled the space now with dancing bodies.

The air felt sticky and Raven could smell a dangerous mixture of sweat, alcohol and something forbidden. Finding a comfortable place to sit and get rid of the high heels that Rose and Donna had put on her feet, Raven threw herself awkwardly into the chair. She tossed the sandals underneath it while trying to massage her feet inside the thin black stocking that went up to her mid-thigh, under the almost too tight dress she wore. Raven was sure that Rose was doing some kind of torture to her, and that Donna was allowing it.

She felt like a sausage tied in half to make her whole body shaped almost like an hourglass. Her breasts filled the small diamond-shaped neckline, her waist looked defined and her butt in the right place with 12 cm high heels so that she looked taller than her meager 5'6.

Raven could only think of murder using these things for more than an entire night.

And she would give anything to be at her home, with a cup of chamomile tea and her worn slippers.

\- “You shouldn't take your shoes off here. You can step on something that hurts your feet, we don't want to end up going to an emergency room like that time when you broke your foot at the frat house party.” - Donna said smiling, standing almost in front of Raven. - “Besides, you should be dancing with someone.”

\- “I have no idea why you are torturing me but know that I won't spend the whole night like this.” - Donna laughed and pulled over the nearest chair, sitting next to Raven and watching her friends in the middle of the party.

Kory was among the " _grown-ups_." She was talking animatedly with Victor, one of the big names of the Gotham football team and a great inspiration for others. Victor was a para athlete and fought for the inclusion of people with disabilities in sports. He and Kory had known each other since Kory arrived in America, even before Kory met Raven and Donna.

Rose danced with a silver-haired boy like hers. It was clear that she was dancing in her seductive Rose way and Raven was sure she would not be coming home with Donna, Tara, Kory and Raven that night. Tara was talking to a green-haired boy who occasionally looked at Raven in a way that made her feel off, it was like she was a juicy piece of meat. It was uncomfortable.

And Imra was as isolated as Raven was before Donna sat with them. Imra was too shy to ask someone to dance with her or to talk to anyone outside the tiny circle of friendship she had. She was standing in the middle of the floor next to Rose, trying to look everywhere except for Rose and the silver-haired boy who were dancing sensually to a song that made your bones tremble.

Raven almost felt sorry for the girl, she was like a sun always living under the eclipse that Rose or Tara could be.

\- “Imra needs to do something or she needs to get away from Rose.” - Donna said, seeming to read Raven's thoughts. - “She can't stay under her shadow forever, Rose is a free spirit and is not tied to anybody but herself.”

\- “She looks so lost.” - Raven said resting her cheek on her chin.

\- “You know you would be a better influence for her than Rose.”

\- “Anyone in this city is a better influence for someone than Rose, Donna.” - Raven declared rolling her eyes. - “But, you are right, we should ask her to stay here or...” - before Raven finished the phrase, a boy tried to convince Donna to dance with him, and just like all the other 7 that had asked before him, he heard a “ _no_ ” answer.

After a period of silence between the two the boy, desolate by the no and with a wounded ego, walked away. Raven laughed, shaking her head.

\- “What?”

\- “If all the men in this room don't end up in love with you by the end of the night, then I don't know how to judge beauty.”

\- “Or you don't know how to judge men.” - Donna raised her eyebrow and Raven chuckled.

\- “No, they are so easy to judge!” - Raven said, rolling her eyes as she swirled the glass in her hands.

\- “They're not that bad, Raven!”

\- “Fools with no sense of humor, and they probably just want one more silly girl in their little black book according to my limited experience”

\- “One of these days Raven, someone will gain your attention, and then you will have to bite your tongue.”

\- “I doubt that there is anyone who will change my mind, Donna.”

\- “Well, don’t doubt the fates, my friend.” - Donna smiled at Raven, who just leaned back in the chair shaking her head negatively, returning to pay attention to Rose trying to dispel Imra somewhere away from her.

It wasn’t more than 10 minutes later that Raven got her attention pulled.

\- “Don't tell me that you were dragged to this party?” - An unfamiliar female voice sounded over Raven and she forced herself to look quickly, willing to dispense the person immediately when she noticed the short, dark skin, dark haired girl smiling and standing in front of her.

 _Maya Ducard_.

She was an old acquaintance of Raven's. They had studied together during high school at Gotham Academy but had lost contact after they entered college. Raven only knew about her because she read the newspaper and saw about the Ducards and Waynes forming some kind of alliance or something. She was an heir to a telephone network that had merged with Wayne Tec. Maya was one of Gotham's little princesses.

\- “Maya?” - Raven said looking around to make sure the girl was talking to her. - “Maya Ducard?”

\- “And you're Raven, from the Academy... Right?” - She smiled, drinking some of the contents she carried in the red cup in her hands. - “The girl who always stayed in the back of the class and everyone thought she was a witch?”

\- “Ahnn... Yeah... Yeah... I think that’s me.” - Raven smiled thinly. - “Um... Donna, this is Maya Ducard, we studied together at the Gotham Academy.”

\- “Nice to meet you, I’m Donna Troy.” - Donna smiled at Maya, extending her hand to greet the girl. - “And yeah, we had to make an effort to drag her to the party.”

\- “Typical.” - Maya said laughing. - “She didn't attend any of the Academy parties, It's good to know that she now has a little fun.”

\- “Hey! I'm right here” - Raven protested, causing laughter from the two girls.

\- “Gods I haven't heard about you in years! Where have you been?” - Maya smiled and Raven felt strange for not sharing the same excitement. How many times had she talked to Raven when they were in high school? Three times? 5? - “I didn't have the opportunity to thank you for helping me with literature work after graduation. I would never get those points if you hadn't helped me with your perfect analysis of _Persuasion_.”

\- "Oh." - Raven remembered the one time she had teamed up with someone and probably the only time she had actually spoken to Maya in all those years. For some reason, she went to a fund of memories that Raven no longer touched and didn't even bother trying to remember.

Her time at the academy wasn’t the best. Raven had almost no friends and spent a lot of time isolated and alone, listening to the other students whisper about her. Once she made it to college, all that was left behind. First with Donna and then Kory, Rose, Imra and even Tara. Raven learned to ignore the whispers of other people. With her friends, Raven learned that she was not what the whispers said about her and that she didn't have to endure them alone.

Raven took a deep breath and pushed the memories to the back of her mind., She forced herself to remember that now was another time and she was no longer the little girl at school. She was an almost successful woman with a business of her own, working with something she loved: _Books_.

\- “So, can I keep you two company?” - Maya asked with a raised eyebrow, looking genuinely interested in talking to Raven. - “My friend said he would come to this party but, well... He's not a big party fan and he hasn't arrived yet and honestly, Emiko has bad friends.”

\- “Uhh…” - Raven made a face. - “Of course. I mean, Donna is certainly more fun than me but, you can sit with us!”

Maya smiled and nodded, sitting in the chair next to Raven while looking in the direction Raven was looking at before. Rose was dancing awkwardly with a boy and Tara had disappeared from Raven's field of vision. Imra had given up on accompanying Rose and now walked aimlessly around the floor until she reached the table where Raven, Maya and Donna were. She sat down with them looking as bored with the party as Raven was before.

They were silent for a few minutes before Maya asked what Raven was doing now. Raven ended up being swept away by the conversation about the books she spent surrounded by all day. It was easy to talk about books. That was what Raven did best so she didn’t notice the minutes go by when Maya could easily talk about the same subject with her.

Raven hardly saw it when the new city playboy arrived at the party. She was for the first time immersed in something from the party. Her attention was only diverted by the sound of the music lowering and her eyes turned to the door opening so slowly she could hear it squeak.

Whispers passed between those present, who stupidly, in Raven's opinion, turned to see who was the cause of such deadly silence.

Raven looked too. She had to admit her curiosity was itching under her skin to see the new rich boy from town who people talked so much about. Facing the door that was still open, 3 people were standing, looking at the silence that stretched across the room.

On the right, there was a boy of no more than 22 years, with flushed cheeks and blue eyes like the ocean behind square glasses. His hair was just below the height of his ears and black as night. He had a jaw that seemed to be carved by hand with a small scar on the right side that went up to his cheekbone. He wore a white top with a plaid shirt over it and blue jeans. He looked very strong for his age, his arms were toned and his shoulders were broad. He had an amused smile on his lips, like he was looking forward to having fun. Despite appearing to be almost twice Raven's height, his gaze was almost childlike on Christmas morning.

On the left was a girl, blond hair like the sun and eyes as blue as the boy's, smooth white skin and lips painted pink. Her hourglass-like figure was tucked into a blue skirt glued to her body with a top of the same color, a very “ _bluish_ ” choice of clothing in Raven's opinion. She looked like she was straight out of a cliché teen movie. Where she was the cheerleader antagonist who would make the girl's life hell and Raven knew exactly what that kind of girl was capable of. She looked down with disdain from where she was. She looked as if everyone there was less than her, a small smile was growing in the corner of her lips.

And in the center, Raven had to remind herself how to breathe. A boy of no more than 22 years, with black hair, cinnamon skin and eyes so intense green that they looked like two rough, uncut emeralds, and thick soft lips. His eyebrows seemed to remain infuriated all the time and his jaw looked to have been hand sculpted by the Olympian gods. He wore a black coat over a white shirt that contrasted with his skin. Raven found herself eager to meet him, even though she didn't understand why. Although handsome, he seemed too sad and angry to be having fun at a party, almost in stark contrast to the boy next to him.

Emiko, the party hostess, stepped out of the crowd and hugged the three, taking longer to hug the middle boy who just clicked his tongue looking annoyed.

\- “Dami, Jon. Glad you came!”

-“You know I wouldn't let him miss this!” - The boy with blue eyes said smiling.

\- “Which of the 2 peacocks is the infamous Kent?” - The words left Raven's lips before she noticed, while she couldn't take her eyes off the cinnamon-skinned boy and Maya smiled thin and almost satisfied.

\- "His name is Jon Kent.” - Maya said, trying to whisper. - “The girl on the left is Kara Danvers, his cousin.”

\- “What? The one with the frown?” - Raven said with her eyebrows almost joined, watching them walk at a slow pace with Emiko into the hall.

\- “No.” - Maya laughed. - “That is a good friend of mine and Jon's. His name is Damian Wayne. Jon is on the right, with a golden retriever face.”

\- “Is he your friend who had not arrived yet? The guy you were waiting for was Wayne?” - Raven looked at Maya quickly before looking back at the trio that was no more than 5 steps away from her. - “He looks so... Sad. Poor guy.”

\- “He may be sad, but he's certainly not poor.” - Donna said, looking at Raven.

\- “A Wayne? Tell me something I don’t know. Every corner of this city has a W marking its place of domination.”

\- “He will inherit one of the largest companies in the country and a fortune valued at almost 9.2 billion dollars. Wayne Enterprise makes 30 billion a year, this not counting the 1 billion he inherited from his maternal grandfather. He owns almost all of Gotham, half of Metropolises and a few more pieces of San Francisco, New York, Star City, Central City, Chicago and wherever else Wayne companies are established, as well as having an empire in the Middle East.” - Imra finally joined the conversation. Raven had to admit that she was more surprised to hear her saying something that was not accompanied by Rose's energetic excitement then with the information about the Wayne boy who was making the girls at the party whisper and others sigh.

\- “A sad billionaire then.” - Raven whispered with a smile on her lips, making Maya and Donna muffle their giggles with their hands. Imra smiled a sincere smile almost the same time the trio passed by them. Damian's eyes recognized his friend Maya, and then fell on the woman next to Maya, unable to deviate from the amethyst toned eyes she had.

The exposed skin on her shoulders seemed to glow in the low ambient light, while her short hair framed the sharp features of her jaw line. She had a pointed chin and pink lips that seemed too full in Damian's opinion. When his eyes met hers, Damian looked away quickly, trying to return his attention to what Emiko was chattering with Jon about, feeling his own heart beat fast against his chest.

Raven felt... _Exposed_. As if she were naked, as if the green of his eyes could see inside her soul.

The way he looked at her was quick, yet it made her heart twist in a strange way and she felt confused by the sensation. Her cheeks were hot and she had to control an urgent laugh that threatened to rise in her throat, a laugh that was more nervous than amusement. He looked away like he was forcing himself to do this and it didn't make any sense, he had never seen her before. Maya had a silly smile on her lips as she looked from Raven to Damian and back to Raven again. It was as if she was coming to the conclusion of something she tried very hard to understand but she said nothing.

Raven shook her head slightly, stifling that feeling when she noticed something else was going on. Imra's cheeks were so red that they were almost confused with the red and white dress she was wearing and she had a small smile threatening to come out of her lips.

Across the room, Jon was still looking at Imra.He seemed to make a very big effort to be able to pay attention to what his cousin or Emiko were talking about instead of looking at the sun-haired girl in the red dress beside Raven.

Raven tried not to let her eyes wander too much towards the trio. She still felt that feeling of her heavy heart twisting in her chest and haunting her insides when her eyes met Damian's.

\- “Smile Imra, the Kent boy doesn't take his eyes off you.” - Raven whispered between her teeth, trying to make up something to occupy her head other than Damian's green eyes still fixed on her.

\- “Er... What?” - Imra said, looking confused. Looking like a fool to the boy who was now standing near the dance floor, no more than 15 steps away from them. His blue eyes seemed to struggle to focus on the girls in the low ambient light.

\- “The new guy, Jon Kent, He doesn't take his eyes off you. Smile at him Imra, smile!”

\- “Uhh... No.” - Imra said timidly. - “Surely he must be looking at something more interesting. You know how the boys look when Donna is around.”

\- “Uh... I'm quite sure he's looking at you.” - Donna said.

\- “He is certainly looking at you, golden girl. Jonnie is a golden boy, he seems to be completely attracted to girls like you so I'm sure he is watching you. Maybe at Raven but, I think not for... Reasons.” - She chuckled. - “Well, if you'll excuse me I need to say hello to those two assholes.” - Maya said, giving a thin smile to Raven and then walking to greet her friends. Leaving behind Imra with redder cheeks, Donna Troy and Raven, who now had her eyes on the black-haired boy next to the Kent boy. The music filled the place again with laughter and agitated conversations about the new gifts.

\- “Well, I'm going to walk a little bit for this party.” - Donna said getting up elegantly from the chair. - “Take care of each other okay? And Raven... Please go talk to Dick's brother before you end up drooling on yourself.”

\- “What?”

\- “That's right you heard me.” - Donna smiled. “He looks like he can bite at first but on the inside he’s just pudding... Dick's words.”

\- “Oh shut up and get the hell out of here, Donna.” - Donna chuckled, shook her head and turned, walking towards where Kory was. Easily entering the conversation that flowed between her, Victor, Wally West, Roy Harper and Garth. They were old friends of Donna and consequently of Kory too.

Raven watched Rose signal from a distance so that someone would take Imra to speak to the boy. As if reading Rose's thoughts or message, Maya returned almost half an hour later to Raven with a stupidly excited smile on her lips. She held on to both Raven and Imras’ arms.

\- “Come with me.”

\- “Hey!” - Raven protested trying to understand what was happening.

\- “Come with me. I need to introduce you to them!”

\- “What?” - Raven gasped, suddenly feeling very nervous.

-“You have a lot in common and Dami needs... Friends.”

\- “Maya... Wait!” - Raven wanted to say that she didn't want to meet anyone but it was too late. She was already facing the 4 people, Emiko, Jon, Damian and a very snobbish Kara Danvers in Raven's opinion.

\- “Dami, Kara, Emiko and Jon, these are my new party friends that I told you about.” - Maya said pointing to Raven. - “Raven Roth and Imra. I’m sorry, Imra what is your last name?”

\- “Ardeen.”

\- “Ah! Yes, Imra Ardeen. So, Raven studied with me at the Academy when you two went to study in Switzerland.”

\- “It's a pleasure to meet you.” - Imra said, trying to hide the silly smile that threatened to take over her face, reaching out to greet the boys and the girl. Jon had pink cheeks and a smile that could light up an entire city.

\- “It's my pleasure, miss.” - He made a very polite bow for the 21st century that drew giggles from the blonde girl. - “Um let me introduce us, I’m Jon Kent, this is my friend Damian Wayne and this is my cousin Kara Danvers.”

\- “They know who we are, Kent.” - Damian grumbled next to Jon. .

\- “I'm being polite, Dami. You should do the same.”

\- “Whatever.” - Damian said, clicking his tongue in that peculiar way of his, before putting his hands in his pockets. - “I'll get something to drink. Don't embarrass us more than you already do, Jonathan Kent.”

\- “You're an asshole, Dami.” - Damian rolled his eyes and left, trying to avoid looking at Raven in the process and she felt strangely irritated by it. Who did he think he was to treat her like an itch he didn't want to feel? - “Oh gods! If my mother heard me saying this in front of you she would rip my ears off, sorry.” - He said looking concerned with what the two would think. - “Damian has been my friend for over 10 years and he can still get the worst of me.”

\- “It happens in the best families.” - Raven said, trying not to let the poison she felt drip in her words. - “Apparently, money is not synonymous with education, It's not your fault.”

\- “So…” - Imra spoke, looking wide-eyed at Raven. Quickly trying to calm her roommate's spirits and trying to make her contain her own tongue. That was another characteristic of Imra, she avoided conflict most of the time when she could. - “Are you enjoying being back in Metropolis?”

\- “Ah, yes, I'm really enjoying it.” - Jon said with a smile and his eyes shining. He kept his hands in his pocket as if he wanted to have some control over himself.

\- “Ah, this is good news. Nothing like coming home.”

\- “Yes” - Jon tilted his head to the side and looked at Raven, his eyebrows almost giving away his curiosity.- “I'm sorry for the question miss, but are your eyes really violet?”

\- “Um, Yes. It seems that it is a family genetic deficiency. Inherited from my mother's side of the family”

\- “It's a peculiarly beautiful color, Miss Roth.” - He looked at Imra. - “Uh... Not that yours are not equally as beautiful, Miss Ardeen. They are as blue as the sky and-”

\- “Just Raven and Imra.” - Raven said, smiling. - “There is no need to be so formal by calling us ‘miss’, this is not the 18th century.”

\- “Er... Of course. Whatever you prefer.”

\- “And what do you do, miss?” - Kara said with a teasing tone, her finger tapping the corner of her lip as if trying to remember the names of the two girls. Raven had to bite her tongue to keep from calling her dumb.

\- “Ah it's Raven, as I said, no miss here.” - Raven gave a fake smile. - “And my friends and I are small entrepreneurs, we have a small bookshop in Gotham.”

\- “You could go there one day, have tea with us.” - Imra said impetuously, addressing Jon directly, which surprised Raven at the same time. - “Raven is our tea connoisseur, no one drinks more cups than she does. If you like tea, of course.”

\- “We'd love to.” - Kara said with a smile as fake as the one Raven put on her face.

\- “Ah... My friend Dami has a huge library, did you know? I, on the other hand, am not a fan of reading. I prefer outdoor activities or a day at my parents' farm.” - He looked homesick and then composed himself, looking at Imra with a desperate look like a puppy. Imra found it very adorable. - “I mean, I also read, of course. As a journalist, my mom and dad made me enjoy reading and I'm not suggesting that you can't read outdoors or on my parents' ranch. Oh god, I think I'm talking too much…”

\- “I wish I could read some more, outdoors.” - Imra said, smiling. - “But, It always seems that I have so many other things to do.

Raven forced a smile, trying to keep her eyes from wandering around the room looking for Damian and pretending to pay attention to the invisible bubble of romance that formed around Jon and Imra. In one of the moments, he looked at her before looking away quickly again and trying to dodge Kara's sticky arms from wrapping around his broad shoulders.

\- “So, would you like to go dancing a little?” - Jon said, smiling and Raven understood that as a cue for her to sneak into the chairs again. She knew that that poor boy already had his heart in Imra's hands and couldn't help noticing the sparkle in her friend's blue eyes.

\- “Ah not for me, I'm sorry. My foot is killing me and I suck at dancing. But, certainly, my friend Imra can keep you company. So you can keep being cute and get to know each other without my dead weight holding you back.”

\- “Raven!”

\- “You know you can't be a shadow of us all for the rest of your life, Imra. Go dance with him, you know where to find me or where to find Donna later. I advise you not to try to find Rose because you know she will be in the first motel room she finds on the way.”

And before Imra protested again, Raven turned her back and walked towards the drinks table, planning to grab something to drink and return to the table where she was sitting before.

From a distance, she could see Imra blooming like someone who owns her own light along with Jon. They were clearly interested in each other and a dance was the perfect excuse for them to get to know each other better, like a teenage couple straight out of a book. Romance, it could be sickly and gummy but at the same time, cute.

Too cute in Raven's opinion.

Raven wandered around the drinks table without really being interested in anything. The red cup in her hands had a very strong dose of vodka so she could drink it in one gulp. She decided to go back to the tables just to find that her chair was occupied by Kara touching up her lipstick and beside her, Damian and his green eyes following Raven wherever she went. She started to go somewhere else, but his voice, clear as the water, pulled her back.

\- “You can sit here if you want.”

\- “I don’t want to be a bother.”

\- “That won't be the case.” - He replied. - “Maya is too busy to keep company with us or you, and Jon seems to have found a partner to dance with.”

\- “Oh yes, they are getting to know each other better and having fun.”

\- “Jonathan is so naive, of course he would fall for the first girl who would smile at him.”

\- “Or he has a heart beating in his chest. You know, feelings and attractions. Things that humans have.”

\- “Bullshit.” - He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

\- “Do you dance, Damian?” - Raven hardly noticed when the words left her lips, would she dance with him if he asked her?

\- "Not if I can avoid it." - He said in a dry tone and without looking at her, his eyes locked anywhere else in the room. Raven slowly nodded, trying to find the floor below her feet. She was silent looking anywhere but him before deciding it was best for her to walk somewhere else.

Even the bathroom seemed more comfortable than standing next to a man who had a personality as cold as the amount of money he had in his pocket.

Raven sighed and wandered around the people, watching Jon and Imra amuse themselves with smiles on their faces, little by little, loosening their bonds and talking to each other in the ear. She could see that it was a new step that Imra was taking, flourishing for someone other than through Rose or any left over from her. Raven could see that smile that lit up an entire city and that warmth she exuded from a distance.

Raven walked over to Donna, who gave her a hug she didn't even know she needed.

\- “I didn't expect to see you here. Did something happen?”

\- “You said I could hide behind you for the whole party.”

\- “I didn't think you would need my back while sitting with Damian Grumpy Wayne.”

\- “I only sat down because he invited me, not because I wanted to.” - Raven raised an eyebrow. - “He may be a billionaire but, he's miserable and cold inside.”

\- “So few words and you already hate him like that?”

\- “I didn't say I hate him... Just... I don't think he's very good company.”

\- “Hm.” - Donna smiled and shook her head, looking quickly towards the table where Damian was still sitting, seeming to pretend to hear what that skinny, blonde girl said in his ear. His eyes seemed to try to fight the urge to look in Raven's direction, until he got up and went towards Jon.

Raven glanced at him a few times as they returned to the table and could not take her eyes off the place where he was before, as if her eyes were mesmerized by him. They saw them coming back to the table and listening to their muffled conversation after Kara got up saying she needed to go to the powder room with Imra. Raven and Donna leaned with their elbows on the table to try to hear better what they would say. They were not far from them, but in the dark part of the tables, they would pass completely unnoticed by someone who did not look in their direction.

\- “I need to tell you, Dami, I have never seen girls so beautiful in my life as the ones who greeted me today.”

\- “You were dancing with the most presentable of all, Kent. And your opinion is based on Kansas.”

\- “And I say without fear, Imra is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen!” - Jon put his arms around the back of his neck with a silly smile on his face. - “But her friend, Raven is very adorable and has such beautiful eyes, is smart and really pretty, and you guys seem to have a lot in common, you should talk to her, Dami.”

\- “She may be pretty, but she’s only just perfectly tolerable, Jonathan.” - Damian said with the same stoic look as always. - “And just that... Tolerable. It is better to go back to Imra before your cousin scares her enough that she will never look at you again instead of wasting time trying to get me to date someone.” - Damian lifted the glass to his lips before looking back to where Raven was before, but finding nothing there. Jon was silent and then sighed, shrugging.

His friend was the king of denial, he must remember that.

\- “If you say so.”

 _Ouch_.

Raven couldn't say for sure why, but hearing from that boy's mouth that she was just tolerable gave her a bitter taste in her mouth. She must be used to it by now, everyone called her weird and things like that. But hearing from that boy hurt her in a strange way, and she wished she had never been to that party.

She straightened up in her chair, throwing her back against it as she looked at her hands. Donna looked at her for a few seconds in silence before taking a deep breath and holding Raven's hand.

\- “Thank the gods, Rae.” - Donna said, forcing a smile. - “If he had liked you, you would have had to go dancing with him.” - Raven took a heavy breath and looked up at Donna, thanking the darkness of the place for not letting Donna see how her eyes were watery.

\- “Yeah, exactly... You... You're right.” - Raven shook her head.

\- “He is cute and attractive but he has the emotional range of a stone.”

\- “He's not even that attractive, Donna. I've seen boys prettier than him and much more... tolerable.”

\- “You know you don't have to lie to yourself.”

\- “I'm not lying!” - Raven shrugged. - “He _may_ be handsome, but all that beauty disappears when he shows himself to be an arrogant rich boy. You know what? I would never dance with him, I would never accept being courted by him. I would not accept dancing with him even if he was someone who owned all of Gotham and Metropolis, much less for the sad part of Gotham! He deserves the blonde doll slung over his shoulder.” - Donna couldn't help but laugh, rolling her eyes at Raven's comment.

And Donna honestly didn't believe anything the two of them had said. She was commenting to Kory exactly about the tension that hung over the looks that they exchanged, the distance they kept and how they were too similar to not admit the attraction that one felt for the other. And Donna could think of only one thing: They were definitely the same, emotionally constipated and needed help. She was good at that.

All they needed was a little push, and the push would be Jon and Imra and their passionate looks on the dance floor.

\- “Hey, let's dance a little! Even Imra is having fun tonight, it doesn't make sense for you to sit in one place just brooding over what Dick's grumpy brother said about you.” - Raven looked at Donna about to protest when she seemed to change her mind and smiled, holding Donna's hand and letting her take them close to Imra, Jon and Rose.

It was easy to feel the heavy beats of the music making her bones vibrate and Raven tried her best to get carried away by the music. She was not used to dancing at parties but allowed herself to feel the music in her bones while dancing with a smile on her face. She was unable to say how long it was or how many songs they danced, but in the end, she was panting and feeling happy, as she didn't know how much fun it could be.

They withdrew from the dance floor when Imra said she needed a drink and Raven watched Damian walk to the small circle they had formed near the drinks table. Jon being very interested in the story Raven was telling about how all 6 girls met and decided to live in Gotham.

\- “You are all so much fun.” - Jon said with a smile on his face as he quietly went to Imra's side. - “I don't think I ever had as much fun in my life as I did with you today.”

\- “A pity that Imra is not the most beautiful of us all.” - Rose said, crossing her arms.

\- “Rose!” - Donna and Raven said in unison.

\- “I'm not lying. Will you never admit that Donna is the most beautiful of us all? Donna is courted everywhere she goes, she must be the most beautiful girl in Gotham and the whole of Metropolis.” - Rose raised her eyebrow behind the eye patch. - “When we were 19, there was this guy in college who was in love with her, and he always wrote notes and left them in her locker with a flower. We even thought he was going to ask her for a date at some point but…”

\- “That's the end of the story, isn't it?” - Raven said, interrupting Rose before she made Donna and Imra die of embarrassment. - “Who would have guessed that bad poetry and flowers could chase love away?”

\- “I thought they were the food of love.” - Damian said suddenly, making Raven's heart jump. She looked at him seriously and swallowed the bile that threatened to rise in her throat, she didn't want to release a poison she had just bitten.

\- “Of a love that is solid and true, yes.” - Raven countered trying to appear unaffected by the man's comment. - “But if it is only a vague inclination or vague feelings driven only by the beauty of someone, I am convinced that a simple flower could kill such love at some point.” - Damian blew out his nose and then crossed his arms over his chest, his green eyes so fixed on Raven that she could feel her skin burning like acid.

It burned, it hurt, but she wanted to feel this way. Since when did she want to feel this way?

\- “So what do you recommend for someone to show affection, miss Roth?” - Damian said and Raven let a smile take over her lips, the perfect answer forming in her mind.

\- “Dance.” - She said softly, as calm as she could allow. - “Even if the partner is pretty, but perfectly just tolerable.” - Raven said smiling, watching Damian lick his lips and almost discreetly, shrink while his mouth opened slowly, seeming to want to answer but knowing that no sound would come out.

Raven's smile got bigger, she knew she had won the battle.


End file.
